Who will be held accountable for child’s death?

Jose Garcia Jr.

On May twenty-fourth in 2009, six year old Jose Garcia Jr., then an Infant two student of Wesley Lower Primary School, was crossing the street on his bike at on Amara Avenue when he was knocked down and killed. The incident happened at around six o’clock in the evening and many persons say they witnessed the incident. The driver of the vehicle, a Toyota Highlander, didn’t stop to render assistance, instead, the mother says he abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene. It is now three years since the child was killed and so far no-one has been held accountable for his death. Back in 2009, police detained one man believed to be the driver of the truck but he was subsequently released due a lack of evidence. Anacelia Castillo, the child’s mother, tells us that she fears her son’s death will be just another hit and run with no conviction.

Anacelia Castillo, Mother of the Deceased

Anacelia Castillo

“Well, this mawning I went dah the D.P.P. office and if I nuh know if that the secretary or the supervisor or whatever, well she tell me like this, ;Ms Castillo, right now deh di look into it but deh nuh have enough evidence that deh could call up back the case’. Well this mawning I neva deh yah because I gone dah work and I meet Ms. Sharon off ah Krem and deh call in and tell her that deh nuh got enough evidence but I nuh know because I neva undastand weh the young man di tell me. Ih just look like the case wah gwein right suh and yesterday, dah mi birthday when the baby bury pahn and last week ih mek it three years dat deh knock ah down and the only thing I could say is that this wah left right suh because when I gone dah D.P.P. office dah like wah turn around and deh people nuh understand the pain weh I go through and that gwein right so, because dah three years since my baby dead and ih bury right pahn my birthday. The pain everyday weh I nuh feel and dah Channel five I gwein dis morning but due to the rain suh I just have to left it inna God hand because look like nothing nuh wah come outta it.”

Andrea Polanco

“Now, as far as you know, was there anybody who witnessed the accident?”

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9 Responses for “Who will be held accountable for child’s death?”

Hogwash, the vehicle has/had an owner to be held responsible for the whereabout and who was operating the damn vehicle at that time. It’s a dam shame for this to be going on for three years only to hear that they don’t have enough evidence. Not wishing anything bad to anyone but, if this had happened to a member of their family, I guarantee all Belizeans that they would have resolved this matter by force or otherwise. Again, only in Belize. We are all on deathrow if we’re not very careful. Wih gawn to !-$$.

Hit and run is a serious problem in the Jewel, and where a child has died, police need to investigate it like a murder — PROMPTLY, seriously, relentlessly, until the fugitive driver is brought to justice.

No doubt in this case there are witnesses who can identify the killer-driver — Hon. John Saldivar, put your people to work on this and secure the nation! That is your job and excuse for being paid.

I keep telling you belizeans who cre about your country we need to march on this useless corrupt gov. Along with the pm who is supposed to be our leader but he can’t lead nada useless march on them lets get a change for the better bring back the hanging penalty bring it back.

Why do we have police department in Belize? They are just a waste of tax payers money…I believe civilians can go out and do a better job than what we have been getting from police enforcement lately…with so many crimes happening and nobody being arrested it is ridiculous. No wonder the criminals are just running rampant on the streets because they know the police will not do anything. It always breaks my heart when I have to read about the murder and rape of innocent children. But then again it is like they say no one feels another one’s pain until it hits home. if it was one of their children they would go out and make sure they arrested somone even if they were not the culprit. The life we live in is very unjust.

Life is cheap in Belize. Minimum wage is 3.30, that is less than two dollars an hour of people’s life. I was offered modified duty for 9 dollars usd and I rejected it, because I thought that that is below my standard. I guess that in Belize life is so cheap it can be picked up. When people get away with murder or negligence that causes death, the government is saying, your life and time on earth is of no value at all. Belizean crime investigators are a joke, half of them do not have the intelligence or wherewithal to do a decent job. If it was my child that was killed ……… God forgive me, thats all I say, God forgive my soul.